1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a light engine for a light emitting element.
2. Description of Related Art
A light emitting element includes a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser and the like. The light emitting element is combined with and packaged with a relevant control device. In recent years, a light emitting diode is often used as the light emitting element. The light emitting diode has characteristics of a diode and emits red light, green light or blue light when an electric current is allowed to flow through the light emitting diode.
The light emitting diode tends to be widely used because the light emitting diode is longer in a lifespan, faster in a response to a current flow and smaller in power consumption than a filament bulb.
In general, a light emitting element can be driven only by a DC power source due to the diode characteristics thereof. Thus, in order for the light emitting element to be driven by an AC power source available in a household, a light engine for a light emitting element should include a separate circuit such as a switching mode power supply (SMPS) or the like. This poses a problem in that the drive circuit of an illumination device becomes complex and the manufacturing cost increases.
Furthermore, the light emitting element generates heat when driven. In order to solve a problem of short circuit caused by heat, it is necessary to provide a heat dissipation body under a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted. In the case of using a heat dissipation body made of metal, there is a need to perform an additional process for preventing occurrence of short circuit in the substrate when bonding the heat dissipation body to the substrate.